Rail

CHSRA under fire for bidding criteria changes

LOS ANGELES — Critics said the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (CHSRA) changes to bidding criteria could jeopardize the quality of the bullet train project, Los Angeles Times reported. The CHSRA tentatively selected a team to build a 29-mile segment of track through Fresno even though it had the lowest technical score. The team had the lowest-cost bid, at just less than $1 billion.

Changes to bid evaluation criteria were made in 2011, but not approved by the agency’s board. However, staff was not required to obtain board approval for the changes, the CHSRA CEO told the paper. For the full story, click here.

The order is valued at approximately $120 million, including price escalations based on best faith assessment of assumptions, and is an option contained in a 2010 contract for a maximum of 860 trains signed with SNCF on behalf of the regions.